Cellulosic material provides an attractive platform for generating alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. The conversion of cellulosic material (e.g., from lignocellulosic feedstock) into biofuels has the advantages of the ready availability of large amounts of feedstock, the desirability of avoiding burning or land filling the materials, and the cleanliness of the biofuels (such as ethanol). Once the cellulosic material is converted to fermentable sugars, e.g., glucose, the fermentable sugars may be fermented by yeast into biofuels, such as ethanol.
Before or after hydrolysis pretreated cellulosic material may be subjected to solid-liquid separation. The efficiency of the solid-liquid separation is important for the final MESP (Minimum Ethanol Sales Price). High solid-liquid separation results in a lower MESP. Therefore, it would be an advantage in the art to improve the solid-liquid separation in methods and processes of producing sugars and/or fermentation products from pretreated cellulosic material.